EE R F
HEALTHY
LIVING
HEALTHY
PLANET
PLANET RESCUE Grassroots Actions
Combat Climate Crisis
Brigit Strawbridge Howard on
DANCING WITH BEES HEALTHY BLOOMS
Botanical Libations Sweeten the Season
MAKING
LUCK How to Summon Good Fortune
April 2020 | Washington, D.C. Edition | NaturalAwakeningsDC.com April 2020
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letter from the publisher
Dear Friends,
I was just perusing last month’s publisher’s letter where I focused on spring’s return and the growing number of Americans switching to plant-based foods and hemp products. My, how much life has changed since I wrote those words. With the number of people testing positive for coronavirus in the U.S. growing every day, our day-to-day lives have been drastically altered. This unfolding pandemic is causing quite a bit of chaos— our financial portfolios are looking rather bleak; our children can’t attend school; events are being cancelled; our favorite restaurants, gyms, theaters, museums and other establishments are closing indefinitely to ward off the spread of the virus. I even just heard on the news that Canada and the U.S. have jointly decided to close borders to all non-essential travel. These are unprecedented times. Most of us muddling our way through this growing health crisis have never been through anything like this before. Naturally, we’re afraid. Trying to imagine the sheer global impact of this virus is staggering, let alone how it’s going to affect us on a personal level for months, if not years to come. We’re all in this together, dear readers, and we will get through this and come out better on the other side. How? I don’t know, but I do know that we’ll all grow and evolve in ways we never could have imagined. What this virus is demonstrating loudly is that we are all connected. What we do, no matter where we are in the world, can have a major effect on those we encounter—whether we know it or not. Let’s start making those connections more meaningful and joyful. Let’s find more ways to spread laughter, abundance, love and compassion. And we can start with ourselves, right now. When was the last time you sat and watched the wind blow through a tall field of grass? During this forced sabbatical, I invite us all to spend time doing those things we say we’re going to do, but never seem to have time for—plant that garden; pick up that dusty guitar and learn some new songs; spend time making art with your children; write that screenplay; take those long walks around your neighborhood; plop yourself down on a pillow for an hour and meditate every day for the next four weeks; sit in your backyard and watch the grass grow. If you’ve been struggling with relationship challenges, invite your partner to have that deep conversation you’ve both been putting off. There’s no better time than now to deepen your connections to yourself, your loved ones, Mother Earth. We are all being given an immense opportunity to rearrange our priorities. Many of us have been so busy rushing around we haven’t slowed down to find out if we’re living our lives as authentically as we could. Now we’re being given that chance. Let’s not waste it. At times, life can be a beautiful mess. This is one of those times. And when this tumultuous season passes, we’ll be stronger and more connected than ever. I truly hope you enjoy all the nuggets of wisdom we have to share in this month’s issue. Here’s to evolving together! Best,
WASHINGTON, D.C. EDITION PUBLISHER Stephen Ellis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Erin Lehn
ONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jessica Bradshaw C Randy Kambic DESIGN & PRODUCTION Irene Sankey
CONTACT US Natural Awakenings of Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-505-4835 10411 Motor City Dr., Suite 301 Bethesda, MD 20814 Stephen@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com
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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET
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Contents 6 50th EARTH DAY TAKES ON CLIMATE CHANGE
6
Golden Anniversary Marks Call to Action
12 PLANET RESCUE
Grassroots Strategies Combat Climate Crisis
15 CLIMATE
WARRIORS UNITE A Call to Action
16 FLOWER POWER
Botanical Libations Pack Healthy Punch
18 MOVING THROUGH
15
CHRONIC PAIN
How Exercise Can Heal What Hurts
19 BRIGIT STRAWBRIDGE
HOWARD
on Rediscovering Nature
20 HEALTHY HOME, HEALTHY KIDS How to Keep Them Safe
22 A HOME THAT HEALS
24
Creating a Nurturing Space
ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 202-505-4835 or email Stephen@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com. Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Stephen@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com. Deadline for editorial, news briefs and health briefs are due by the 10th. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit Calendar Events to: CalendarNADC@gmail.com. Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets, call 239-434-9392. For franchising opportunities, call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.
24 ACUPUNCTURE FOR ANIMALS
Needles Work Wonders on Pets
25 MAKING LUCK
An Intentional Path to Good Fortune
DEPARTMENTS 7 news briefs 8 eco tip 9 health briefs 10 global briefs 15 green living 16 conscious eating 18 fit body
19 20 22 24 25 26 28
wise words healthy kids healing ways natural pet inspiration calendar resource guide April 2020
5
MAY
WOMEN’S WELLNESS ISSUE LittlePerfectStock/Shutterstock.com
Coming Next Month Autoimmune Breakthroughs
Plus: The Collagen Connection
50th EARTH DAY TAKES ON CLIMATE CHANGE Golden Anniversary Marks Call to Action
O With the ever-evolving COVID-19 situation causing uncertainty for citizens worldwide, Natural Awakenings is more committed than ever in supporting your health and well-being. For the latest updates on local events and information, visit us online at:
Natural AwakeningsDC.com
6
Washington, D.C.
n April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans—10 percent of the nation—took to the streets and campuses to protest environmental degradation so severe that rivers were literally catching on fire. That groundswell was followed by the passage of landmark environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, laws soon adopted by many other countries. Half a century later, as temperatures approach 70 degrees in Antarctica, catastrophic wildfires race through Australia and species die off around the world, the planet’s status seems anything but golden. On this Earth Day, the climate crisis that precipitated these events and trends take center stage: The goal is to mobilize millions, perhaps billions, of Earth’s human inhabitants to rise up in its defense. “The urgency has never been greater and the stakes have never been higher,” say the organizers of the Earth Day Network. “We are now in an environmental emergency and a climate breakdown. The world needs you—and your actions—for Earth Day 2020.”
NaturalAwakeningsDC.com
To learn about personal actions, including step-by-step instructions on how to organize an event, consult EarthDay.org. Participants can join in a cleanup of trash from rivers, beaches, streets and forests; host a teach-in; take part in a climate strike or campus rally to show united action; join the world’s largest citizen science initiative to document declining environmental conditions and participate in social media campaigns to raise awareness. Millions of people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. Participants can watch live performances by popular musicians, listen to speeches by celebrities, and participate in a number of green themed interactive exhibits and demonstrations. Help Washington, D.C. celebrate victories and support future progress by participating in local Earth Day 2020 events such as the Citizens’ Climate Lobby Outreach from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 18 on the National Mall. Coronavirus is causing a number of event cancellations; please check event websites to be sure that they are still being held.
news briefs
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Think Outside the House Expanding Spring Cleaning Spring cleaning traditionally heralds a new beginning, an opportunity to take stock of hearth and home and a time of renewal regardless of the season. Clearing figurative cobwebs is as important as sweeping away real ones, and while most folks focus on giving their abode a thorough airing and scrubbing, there’s plenty to tend to outside before the heat of summer sets in. Clear out potentially dead grass and leaves and other organic matter near the sides of the house to prevent termites and other insect infestations. Collect the organic matter, add in food scraps and compost it all to benefit the garden. Composting sends the nutrients of loose ingredients into the soil as a natural fertilizer. EarthEasy. com/grow_compost.html reports it can help divert as much as 30 percent of household waste from the garbage can. Make sure to check the top and outer walls of the house. Upraised nails in a shingled roof or deteriorated shingles or gaps where plumbing vent pipes penetrate the surface—possibly due to high winds, falling branches or ice thawing in colder climes—can produce small breaks and holes for water to seep through onto tops of ceilings. That can possibly lead to mold as summer temperatures rise and water leaks into the interior of the house. OldHouseWeb.com says collars of vent pipes should be tight, as “some older [ones] can loosen over time and even some newer rubber collars crack and leak long before the shingles fail.” Also, check the gutters to make sure they are clear of packed leaves and tree branches. Don’t forget the family car, which may need its own spring cleanup. Go green with a natural soap to remove slush and grime, and then take a close look at the toll the past year has taken. Pebbles and rocks may have been kicked onto the sides of the car, resulting in small chips and abrasions of the paint from which rust might spread. The nonprofit Car Care Council (CarCare.org) recommends covering the areas as quickly as possible and if necessary to use a little clear nail polish—nontoxic, of course—as a quick fix for minor paint damage until a proper touch-up can be scheduled. Then there’s the undercarriage. Salt particles that may have been used in treating roads and highways in icy regions may be lodged into crevices which can corrode metal and functional parts. Make sure the hose sprayer also reaches these areas.
health briefs
Poor eating habits are not only disease-producing, they are also costly, the latest research shows. “Suboptimal eating” incurs approximately $300 in healthcare costs annually per person, and $481 for older people on Medicare, adding up to $50 billion a year nationally—84 percent of which goes to acute care, say Harvard-associated Brigham and Women’s Hospital researchers. This means that poor diets account for almost 20 percent of heart disease, stroke and diabetes costs in the U.S. Researchers studied the impact of 10 dietary factors, including fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, processed meats, sugary drinks and salt, and found that the top three risks were overconsuming processed meats and underconsuming nuts/seeds and omega-3-rich seafood. “There is a lot to be gained in terms of reducing risk and cost associated with heart disease, stroke and diabetes by making relatively simple changes to one’s diet,” says study co-author Thomas Gaziano, M.D. “Our work illustrates the need for interventions or policies that incentivize healthier dietary behavior, as these changes have the potential to have a big impact and reduce the health and financial burden of cardiometabolic disease.”
Grape seed extract, an antioxidant-rich supplement that is a byproduct of the wine and juice industry, significantly improves both total and LDL cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels, and lowers markers of inflammation, concludes a metareview of 15 randomized trials in the journal Phytotherapy Research. Researchers from Iran, Canada and Croatia concluded that the popular extract also improves fasting glucose levels, but has little effect on HbA1c or HDL cholesterol levels.
Try Pine Bark to Improve Erectile Function and Cholesterol Erectile dysfunction, an early diabetic indicator, responds to treatment with pine bark extract, Slovakian researchers report. They tested 53 diabetic and non-diabetic patients with erectile dysfunction, giving half of them the extract (marketed as Pycnogenol) and the other half a placebo for three months. The pine bark extract improved erectile function by 45 percent in the diabetes group and 22 percent in the non-diabetes group. It also lowered LDL cholesterol by 21 percent and reduced blood sugar levels in the diabetes group. April 2020
9
Antonio Guillem/Shutterstock.com
Eat Better to Cut Healthcare Costs
Consume Grape Seed Extract to Improve Cholesterol and Lower Inflammation
Quang Ho/Shutterstock.com
Echinacea extract may be helpful for situation-induced anxiety, indicates a new study from Hungary’s Institute of Experimental Medicine, in Budapest. The researchers tested 64 middle-aged people that had scored high on the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. They were given either 80 milligrams Echinacea angustifolia root extract or a placebo every day for seven days, followed by a three-week washout period during which no pills were taken. Those taking the echinacea started experiencing less anxiety than the placebo-takers by day seven, and scored significantly lower in “state anxiety”, marked by arousal connected to specific dangers or threats. Measures of “trait anxiety”, in which anxiety is an ongoing personal characteristic, improved slightly compared to the placebo group. Improvements were maintained even during the washout period.
Gamzova Olga/Shutterstock.com
Take Echinacea to Reduce Anxiety
global briefs
Coal Costs
Biodegradable Cooler Keeps Food Cold and Dry
The ice chests we haul to picnics are typically made of Styrofoam, Dow Chemical’s trademarked name for extruded polystyrene, but it is a highly flammable source of greenhouse gases that animals can mistake for food and won’t degrade for hundreds of years, leading thousands of landfills to ban it. Now, Igloo, the top global cooler maker, has introduced a new, less-destructive alternative made out of paraffin wax and recycled tree pulp called Recool. The 16-quart, water-resistant cooler, sold at REI and other stores, keeps 75 pounds of contents ice-cold for up to 12 hours and goes up to five days without leaking water. The coolers can be stored and reused many times and then recycled, composted or used as a dry storage container. It’s also less likely to break or chip than Styrofoam. 10
Washington, D.C.
NaturalAwakeningsDC.com
Hot Spots
Climate Change City Index for 2050
Temperature changes, water shortages and rising sea levels will impact some of the world’s most populous cities during the next 30 years. Apartment rental hub Nestpick.com commissioned researchers to comb through data and determine how the ongoing climate shift could impact specific cities to help people choose where to live and add to the debate about procedures that can be put in place to ensure the longevity and livability of cities. Bangkok faces the highest risk of flooding from rising sea levels and a projected temperature increase of 3° F. Nairobi may move from a temperate humid warm summer climate to a tropical-type savanna wet summer climate due to rising temperatures. The demand for water is projected to be double the supply in Melbourne. Ho Chi Minh City and Amsterdam are also very high on the list.
SOMKKU/Shutterstock.com
A new law bans popular plastic bags in the Mexican capital, and grocery stores are poised to sell reusable synthetic fiber bags. The same law will ban handing out plastic straws, spoons, coffee capsules and other single-use items by 2021. Claudia Hernández, the city’s director of environmental awareness, says, “We are finding that people are returning to baskets, to cucuruchos [cone-shaped rolls of paper].” The old ways are present in other aspects, too. Many residents still use wheeled, folding shopping baskets and some vendors still measure out bulk goods in discarded sardine cans. Grocery stores that give out plastic bags will be fined, so most will opt for reusable shopping bags made of thick plastic fiber for about 75 cents. For hygienic reasons, the law leaves the door open to using plastic bags for such items as perishable deli meats or cheese.
SHTRAUS DMYTRO/Shutterstock.com
Mexicans Return to Old Ways After Ban
Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com
Cool Solution
Plastics Adios
IglooCoolers.com
Between 2005 and 2016, the shutdown of coal-fired plants in the U.S. saved an estimated 26,610 lives and the equivalent of around 570 million bushels of corn, soybeans and wheat, reports a new University of California at San Diego (UCSD) study published in Nature Sustainability. The coal plants were typically decommissioned as utilities transitioned from coal to natural gas for electric power generation, thus reducing particulate matter and ozone in the lower atmosphere. “When a coal-fired unit shuts down, local pollution [including particulate matter] levels drop, mortality rates drop and crop yields of major staple crops rise,” writes study author and UCSD associate professor Jennifer Ann Burney. The newer, naturalgas and coal-fired units that have supplanted them are not entirely benign and deserve further study, she notes.
Markus Mainka/Shutterstock.com
Closing Plants Saves Lives and Crops
Roundup Redux
Nutty News
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has clarified its standards regarding organic crop container systems such as hydroponics and aquaponics, requiring that those operations stop using synthetic chemicals not approved for organic crop production in the soil underneath, as well as in containers, for three years prior to achieving certification. The clarification arose after soil-based farmers reported that hydroponics operations were spraying the soil to clear weeds with Monsanto’s glyphosate shortly before building a greenhouse and applying for quick organic certification. The World Health Organization classified glyphosate as a Group 2A carcinogen, and it is absolutely prohibited on organic farms. The Real Organic Project, a family farmer-driven organization, is lobbying for an add-on label to USDA Certified Organic to provide more transparency on whether organic crops are grown in soil or hydroponic greenhouses.
A “green” sunscreen has been synthesized from discarded cashew-nut shells by a team of scientists from South Africa, Malawi, Tanzania and Germany, reports the European Journal of Organic Chemistry. Using xylochemistry (wood chemistry), the scientists produced new aromatic compounds that show good UVA and UVB absorbance, which can protect humans, as well as polymers and coatings, from harmful rays from the sun. The research was published in the European Journal of Organic Chemistry. UV rays can lead to sunburn, premature aging and the development of lethal melanomas in humans and animals, and are also damaging to most materials, causing the discoloration of dyes and pigments, weathering, yellowing of plastics and the loss of gloss and mechanical properties.
SOMKKU/Shutterstock.com
SHTRAUS DMYTRO/Shutterstock.com
Markus Mainka/Shutterstock.com
Organic Standards Clarified for Hydroponics
Unsafe Sipping
Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com
IglooCoolers.com
Widespread Drinking Water Contamination Found
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has found contamination of U.S. drinking water with manmade “forever chemicals” to be much worse than estimated. Miami, Philadelphia and New Orleans have some of the highest levels. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are resistant to breaking down in the environment and some have been linked to cancer, liver damage, low birth weight and other health problems. David Andrews, a senior scientist at EWG and co-author of the report, says, “It’s nearly impossible to avoid contaminated drinking water from these chemicals.” Sources include products like Teflon, Scotchguard and firefighting foam. Only one location in the country, Meridian, Mississippi, which has 700-foot-deep wells, had no detectable PFAS, while Seattle and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, had levels below 1 part per trillion, the limit EWG recommends. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has known since at least 2001 about the problem of PFAS in drinking water, but has so far failed to set an enforceable, nationwide legal limit.
Eco-Sunscreen Made from Cashew Shells
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The message I try to express [through my art] is that some of our best-known wild animals might, in my lifetime, no longer be on the planet. painting by Josie Martin
~Josie Martin
PLANET RESCUE Grassroots Strategies Combat Climate Crisis by Julie Marshall
L
ike most kids, Azalea Morgan loves polar bears. “They’re fluff y and cute,” the 8-year-old says, and after watching a documentary on how climate change is affecting these Arctic apex predators, she badly wanted to help. Her mom, Molly Morgan, suggested she do something big, because the problem of global warming is monumental. For nearly three weeks last September, Azalea pedaled her bike alongside her mom and 9-year-old sister, Ember, setting out from their hometown of Andover, New Hampshire, en route to New York City to attend the United Nations (UN) Climate Action Summit, where Greta Thunberg and other global youth leaders marched for change. The trip was a fundraiser to put solar panels on their school and for future projects under KidsCare4PolarBears, a Facebook page that documents their ongoing efforts. 12
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While not everyone has the time or inclination to ride 250 miles and camp— some of it in the rain—or as Thunberg did, sail across the Atlantic in a zero-emissions yacht, there are steps individuals can take to combat climate change on a grassroots level, experts say, because the crisis is undeniable, as seen most recently in the catastrophic bushfires across Australia. There are peaceful protests taking place worldwide scheduled throughout 2020 at FridaysForFuture.org and other organizations, but a growing number of individuals that want to do more are using their imaginations and creative endeavors, inspiring others to take unique action. Students at a school in Spain wrote and performed a play and illustrated a book to raise climate change awareness, while a teen from California used her artistic skills to raise thousands of dollars for wildlife. On March 28, people around
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the world participated in the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour by collectively turning off lights at 8:30 p.m. while holding eco-events, and others are joining in the global tree-planting campaign of The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Reversing course may seem insurmountable, but individuals have a lot of power, says Dan Shepard, UN global communications officer: “The choices we make, the things we do, collectively matter and can have a huge impact on the world.”
Stepping Up for Biodiversity “I wanted to inspire other kids,” Ember says of her bicycle trek for polar bears. “I love animals and they deserve to not die.” According to a 2019 UN Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, more than 1 million species are threatened with extinction, and one of the main reasons is climate
I love to see what young people are doing, because if we collectively use our voice to amplify the facts about climate change, we can work to find solutions.
cover artist
painting by Josie Martin
~Elan Strait change, say experts, including Nikhil Advani, director of Climate Communities and Wildlife at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Protecting large predators is one key to enriching biodiversity, Advani says. “The top of the food chain has a significant impact on prey species and the ecosystem.” But predators are suffering because of humans that are feeling the impacts of climate change, Advani says. Long droughts have forced many Kenyan pastoralists to enter protected parks and compete with wildlife for water and grazing land, resulting in lion deaths as retaliation for killing livestock. In the Himalayas, as the Earth warms, snow leopard habitat is being encroached for pastureland. In Zimbabwe, farmers have turned to chopping down trees for wood as an alternative economic opportunity. “Everybody is stressed and competing for resources,” Advani says. “It is a very severe result of climate change.” Advani and researchers are working in tandem with local societies in 30 countries across Africa, Central America and Asia to fund novel projects under the Wildlife Adaptation Innovation Fund. For instance, they are piloting a rainwater harvesting project to help farmers get through the dry seasons and are constructing concrete and mudbrick nests to help albatross breed better in Tasmania. These special projects are based on available levels of donations that are sometimes crowd-sourced. Raising funds for innovative projects, as well as increasing awareness of what’s happening, is an important grassroots strategy, says Elan Strait, WWF director of U.S. climate campaigns. It can be as simple as sharing updates, tagging social media influencers and instigating a rallying cry. WWF has its own program called Panda Ambassadors in which conservation activists of all ages can get tips and tools to promote specific projects they feel most passionate about. “I love to see what young people are doing, because if we collectively use our voice to amplify the facts about climate
change, we can work to find solutions,” Strait says. “And we need facts to get out there because, at least in the U.S., some people think climate change is still a controversy and are afraid to talk about it, but we should have that conversation with friends and family so we can find solutions.”
Youth Rising to the Challenge
Getting involved in grassroots-level strategies is empowering not only for kids, but for adults that need their resiliency and inspiration, says Janet Stringer, manager of donor relations at Polar Bears International, in Bozeman, Montana. “In my work, I hear from so many people who are feeling deep despair about the climate crisis. I draw hope from the children who write to us, sharing stories and pictures about their dreams for a future that includes polar bears,” says Stringer. “I think we owe it to the next generation to work as hard as we can to come together and make the necessary changes to ensure that polar bears—and all wildlife—are not a species we learn about in the pages of a book, but a wild species that we can see with our own eyes, reminding us of how special our planet is and why it deserves our respect.” One of her favorite examples comes from students at the Daina-Isard school, in Olesa de Montserrat, Spain, and their climate-driven projects with teacher Connie Darilek, who asked the Aquarium of Barcelona to help them grow plankton, an organism threatened by warming seas. “They gave us plankton and jellyfish, and it was really amazing for the students to learn the [Arctic] food chain and how serious it would be losing the polar bear on top,” Darilek says. Students recently published the book Nanuc, a story about a polar bear that they also illustrated, now in its second printing. Josie Martin, 13, of Solana Beach, California, has raised $8,700 for conservation of rhinos, elephants, pangolins, gorillas and polar bears by giving
Extinction Is Forever Josie Martin
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ith the help of her mother, Jill, Josie Martin dedicated her 9th birthday to the conservation of rhinos with a fundraiser. This marks the fifth time Josie has chosen to actively support an animal she loves to paint for her birthday month. She raises money for the animal and creates awareness about climate change and the resulting possibility of their extinctions. Donors received signed and numbered copies of watercolor paintings in her Extinction Is Forever series. The young artist’s fundraisers provide well-researched information on animals and the issues they face. With an upbeat message and a photo of her joyful smile, Josie requests that donors provide their email address so that she and her mom can keep them updated. She works to improve her skills as an artist and sets a modestly higher goal for the number of donors and amount of funds to raise each year. She believes her events are a small thing that she can do for a big world and wants to help ensure that animals do not go extinct in her lifetime. View the artist’s latest fundraiser at Donate.GorillaFund.org/Fundraiser/ 2458766. April 2020
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Getting Started Climate Action Opportunities Fridays For Future – This is a global
movement sparked by Greta Thunberg, with a map for climate strikes around the world (FridaysForFuture.org).
The United Nations – Consider supporting several campaigns for climate change with grassroots strategies, including Climate Neutral Now, ACT Now and Good Life Goals (UN.org). Moms Clean Air Force – Parents
protecting children from climate-driven pollution, offering strategies to get kids involved (MomsCleanAirForce.org).
Earth Hour 2020 – Read about
the global effort to dramatize environmental concerns that occurred on March 28 when lights were turned off for an hour around the world (EarthHour.org).
Panda Ambassadors – World
Wildlife Fund engages activists of all ages with a toolkit and inspirational stories (WorldWildlife.org).
Plant a Billion Trees – Join in the massive reforestation project by supporting the Nature Conservancy and planting trees (Nature.org).
Polar Bears International –
Get involved and inspired through creative projects for polar bears (PolarBearsInternational.org).
It’s important that everyone feel they can contribute because everything does make a difference, and no action is too small. ~Catherine Macdonald watercolor paintings to those that donate to charities through her PayPal Giving page at Chuffed.org/project/peace-lovehope-for-rhinos. “Each year, I think I’m getting a little bit better at creating art which sends a strong message,” she says. “The message I try to express is that some of our best-known wild animals might in my lifetime no longer be on the planet. I think the difference I make through art is that I am helping to raise awareness for important animal conservation work.”
Every Action Counts
There’s no one solution to climate change, says Catherine Macdonald, TNC director of natural climate solutions for North America. “We really have to try, all of us. It’s important that everyone feel they can contribute, because everything does make a difference, and no action is too small.” For those that are not art-inclined, one of the best things people can do is to plant trees, Macdonald says, whether it’s replanting forests or increasing their numbers in urban areas. According to a 2018 study by TNC published in Science Advances, nature-driven land management could sequester 21 percent of America’s annual greenhouse gas pollution—the equivalent of emissions from all cars and trucks on the roads today. Planting trees emerged in the study as the most signifi-
cant among 21 strategies to mitigate global warming. One good way to get started is join the TNC Plant a Billion Trees program, Macdonald says; details are at Tinyurl.com/TNCPlantABillionTrees. “Climate change is definitely a growing concern that we are facing, and as more people understand there is a problem and what the solutions are, the more influence we can have on the big decisionmakers, whether that’s government or corporations that make our products,” she says. “And being aware informs voters to advance climate action.” While Josie, Ember, Azalea and the students at Daina-Isard aren’t old enough to vote, their message is strong. “I’m worried about the impact climate change will have on our future,” Josie says. “I think people should protest peacefully for the things they believe in and that more people should exercise their right to vote for leaders who care about the youth in our world and the generations to come. I also think people should try to spend a little bit of their time taking action for what they want to see changed in our world.” Julie Marshall is a Colorado-based writer and author of Making Burros Fly: Cleveland Amory, Animal Rescue Pioneer. Connect with her at FlyingBurros@gmail.com.
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green living
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I want you to act as if the house is on fire, because it is. ~Greta Thunberg 2019 World Economic Forum
Climate Warriors Unite A Call to Action
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by Sandra Yeyati
strike initiative—Fridays n November 2018, one of We are the the worst fires in Caliones we’ve been for Future—has become a worldwide phenomenon. fornia history overtook waiting for. On December 14, 2018, the town of Paradise and Villaseñor began her own surrounding communities, ~Solemi Hernandez Friday vigils outside the killing 88 people and destroyU.N.—sometimes alone, other times with ing more than 18,000 buildings. Alexandria Villaseñor, who was visiting family 100 miles friends she’s inspired to take action; she also away in her hometown of Davis, experienced helped organize the 2019 Global Climate Strike in New York City, attended by more the suffocating effects of the smoke: Every than 300,000 people, and founded Earth breath was difficult for the asthmatic teen Uprising, a nonprofit global youth movewho is now 14 and lives in New York City. ment. She’s one of 16 youngsters, along with The fire changed Villaseñor’s life. “I was very upset, and I wanted to understand Thunberg, that filed a legal complaint with the U.N. demanding that France, Germany, why these fires were happening,” she says. Brazil, Argentina and Turkey curb their “I started to research climate change and carbon emissions. wildfires, and began to see the scientific “There are so many ways that young connection between the two.” people can get involved,” says Villaseñor. Awakened by personal concerns and “They can give presentations about climate ignited by emerging role models, activchange in their classes and communities. ists of all ages are learning how to become Go out with a sign and protest, or lobby effective climate warriors. Watching Greta politicians. Have clear demands of what Thunberg speak soon after the California you want your city or town to do. I’ve seen disaster to world leaders at COP 24, the local action influence action nationally United Nations Climate Change Conferand internationally.” ence in Poland, empowered Villaseñor Dianne Rhodes, 76, of Saskatoon, to take to the streets and protest. “Greta Canada, began her activism in 2006 gave permission to students all around after seeing Al Gore’s documentary An the world to make their voices heard,” she Inconvenient Truth. “It was shocking what says of the Swedish teenager whose school
we were doing to the environment, our home, our planet. It hit me like a freight train, and I saw the urgency,” she says. Rhodes trained with Gore, enabling herself to give up-to-date, truthful and science-based slide presentations. Her talks vary in subject and audience, from composting instructions for a group of pre-K kids to in-depth climate science for business professionals. “Activism is a way of letting people know what’s happening. It’s so important to get that awareness, to give people hope and then to show them how they can make a difference,” she explains. Rhodes recommends both grassroots and “grass-top” action, including protest marches, working directly with city planners and changing personal behavior and choices at home. She’s excited about a new initiative in Canada: “We’re doing town hall meetings all across the country based on the Green New Deal … where people talk about how to get a city’s carbon emissions down—what we can do in our neighborhoods, and how we can go after our city governments to get them behind this as fast as possible.” Solemi Hernandez, 41, a Venezuelan immigrant raising two sons in Naples, Florida, quit her job and took out a loan so she could dedicate all her time to environmental activism. “Ecosystems are about to collapse and we don’t know the exact tipping point. I don’t see a healthy future for my kids,” she says. One month after her dramatic decision, the Citizens Climate Lobby hired her to become its southeast regional coordinator. “We’re going to create and elect new decision-makers instead of trying to change those leaders that are not representing us.” In 2019, Hernandez attended COP 25 in Spain and saw Thunberg up close speaking to thousands of cheering activists. “Greta is an inspiration, but it’s not on her shoulders to solve the issues,” she says. “It’s on us to organize in our communities, see what can we do personally and not look to her to be the savior. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” Sandra Yeyati is a contributor to Natural Awakenings and past president of the Naples, Florida, Press Club. Connect at SandraYeyati@gmail.com. April 2020
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Plants have so much medicine to share, and it’s fun to play with that.
conscious eating
A Cup of Wildflowers
FLOWER POWER Botanical Libations Pack Healthy Punch by April Thompson
F
lowers and other budding botanical elements this spring aren’t just eye candy to dress the table; they can bless an everyday beverage with intoxicating new scents, flavors and colors. “It’s such a joy to see a beautiful flower or plant, smell it and then add it to a delightful beverage or meal. Plants have so much medicine to share, and it’s fun to play with that,” says Myra Sinnott, an aromatherapist and owner of Essential Botany, in Washington, D.C. Many beverage favorites can be given a floral twist with little effort, says Cassie Winslow, author of Floral Libations: 41 Drinks + Ingredients and founder of the blog DecoTartelette.com, in Santa Cruz, California. Winslow’s go-to drinks include lavender-infused lemonade and rose petal almond milk, which can be served hot or cold. “I also love an iced lavender café au lait. If I’m feeling extra fancy, I’ll use fresh flower ice cubes, too.” Dried hibiscus is another favorite of Winslow’s, as even a few petals of the concentrated dark magenta flower will brighten and beautify any beverage—even a yogurt-based drink. While many botanical drink recipes call for simple sugar syrup, Winslow suggests honey with a splash of water as a
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substitute. Other drinks are naturally sweet, like jasmine tea steeped in apple cider. Sinnott likes to fuse the power of flowers with other botanical elements such as rose petals in a light raspberry drink. “I also use rosewater in a warm elixir with a base of reishi mushroom tea, goji berries, turmeric, cinnamon and ginger, cacao, pearl powder and honey. Rose is a heart-opener and vitalizes the body with the immune-boosting reishi and the other tonifying ingredients,” says Sinnott. Winslow stresses the importance of buying organic ingredients, as many flowers are sprayed with toxic pesticides—or better yet, home-grown. She suggests the tea aisle of natural food stores is a good place for procuring organic floral ingredients such as chamomile and jasmine, which often come unblended in whole form. Dried flowers are easier to source and are often more potent than fresh, she says. “Fresh is pretty, but can be more subtle in flavor.” Her rose salt recipe, which can be used to rim drinks or seasonal dishes, calls for dried roses, which have a longer shelf life and won’t clump up like fresh petals. Marie Viljoen, Brooklyn-based author of Forage, Harvest, Feast: A Wild-Inspired Cuisine, suggests using cold infusions rather
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While botanical ingredients can be obtained commercially, it can be more fun—and frugal—to forage for them, suggests Viljoen, founder of the blog 66SquareFeet.blogspot. com. “It’s a lot of fun to go out to collect ingredients you cannot find in the store. You can experience unique textures, flavors and perfumes, and play with wild ingredients that have been all but forgotten,” she says. Some of Viljoen’s seasonal foraged favorites include the fragrant elderflower, honeysuckle and common milkweed flower. “I like to capture milkweed’s fragrance and deep pink color in a wild soda or a sweet cordial.” For newbie foragers, drink ingredients can be sourced as easily as herbs from a window box, like the antiviral thyme, which makes for a delicious wild soda made from a handful of herbs, sweetener and water left on the countertop a few days to lightly ferment and fizz. Another spring favorite, tender young spruce tips, has a sour flavor that ferments well with strawberries and rhubarb, says Viljoen. The same recipe can also be used to make vinegar, a longer process resulting in a more enduring product with great botanical properties. “You can create a sipping vinegar, which is good to mix with seltzer or slow-cook with,” says Viljoen. Whether botanical ingredients are foraged, bought or brought in from the backyard garden to be put in a hot tea, a cocktail or a cold brew, the magic is in the making. “Flowers are endless fun to experiment with, especially when added to everyday drinks and dishes. It brings life to the kitchen,” says Winslow. April Thompson, a freelance writer in Washington, D.C., can be reached at AprilWrites.com.
photo by Susan Bell
than heat or boiling flowers to retain their flavors and aromas. She also recommends picking flowers early in the morning or late afternoon, when their scent peaks.
Chamille Whiter/Shutterstock.com
~Myra Sinnott
Flowers are endless fun to experiment with, especially when added to everyday drinks and dishes. It brings life to the kitchen. ~Cassie Winslow Place the crystals in the oven on a low heat (158 to 170° F) for 15 minutes, or until hot. Place the crystals in the teacups.
Unconditional Love Here’s an Indian-inspired herbal infusion featuring classic Ayurvedic herbs that help spread unconditional love that is so needed in the world right now. It’s recommended that you serve the infusion on heated rose quartz crystals; this will continue to emanate the love. This recipe is best made in larger quantities and stored for use throughout the year or whenever you need to spread or share more love with friends and family. Yields: 3½ oz beverage .7 oz cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) ½ oz ginger root (Zingiber officinalis), dried .2 oz ashwagandha root (Withania somnifera), dried .2 oz rhatavari root (Asparagus racemosus), dried ½ oz rose petals (Rosa spp), dried .4 oz rose hips (Rosa canina), dried 1 oz tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum), dried For the warm rose quartz: 3-4 Rough pieces of rose quartz crystal Mix all the herbs together in a large bowl, then decant into a sealable pouch or jar, being sure to store away from direct sunlight. Cleanse the crystals, by first rinsing and gently scrubbing them under running water, then place in the sun for a few hours and whisper some love poetry to them.
For a pot for 3 to 4 people, take 6 heaping teaspoons of the blend, pour over freshly boiled water, infuse with the lid on for 5 to 6 minutes, then fine strain and serve in cups over the warm pieces of rose quartz crystal. Recipe courtesy of Michael Isted, the Herball.
Dandelion Honey Bowl of Soul “I love to make a bowl of soul when I need to unwind, as this beverage is quite soothing,” says Cassie Winslow. “Dandelions have a subtle spice that pairs so nicely with other warming spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. Steeped in your favorite nutty milk, this’ll be your new go-to goodie when you want to sit with your thoughts, gaze out the window and sip on something warm.” Yields: one beverage 1 cup, unsweetened, almond milk or hazelnut milk 1 Tbsp honey (or agave sweetener) 1 dandelion tea bag Freshly ground nutmeg for garnish In a small saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Whisk the milk, then slowly add the honey or agave sweetener and whisk together.
FLORAL PARTY FAVORS F
or those that want to impress guests with a little floral flourish at their next dinner party, here are some tips from the experts. Garnishing is a great way to use fresh edible flowers and show off their natural shapes and colors, says Cassie Winslow, author of Floral Libations: 41 Drinks + Ingredients and founder of the blog DecoTartelette. com, in Santa Cruz, California. “Unless it’s a small pretty bloom, you’ll want to just use a couple of petals though, as whole flowers can be hard to drink around otherwise.” Simply infusing fragrant flowers in water overnight can be a refreshing upgrade to table water, says Marie Viljoen, author of Forage, Harvest, Feast and the 66-Square-Feet blog, based in Brooklyn. “Go for flowers with lots of fragrance, like jasmine, roses or violets. Just put in cool water overnight and strain out the flowers in the morning.” Drinks can be dressed up with a floral sugar or salt rim using rose or lavender. “I like to rim half the glass on the side and not just the top, to give it a cascading effect,” says Winslow. Another fun party trick is to set up a bar and let guests garnish their drinks themselves. Winslow suggests almost any cocktail recipe can be turned into a mocktail by using sparkling water instead of alcohol; for example, a virgin lilac margarita greyhound. Floral ice cubes also add a fancy touch to the dinner table. To capture the blossoms in ice, Viljoen suggests filling the tray halfway with water, putting in the flowers, freezing and then filling in the rest of the water to refreeze.
Pour the milk mixture into a large mug.
Lestertair/Shutterstock.com
photo by Susan Bell
Chamille Whiter/Shutterstock.com
SOOTHING BOTANICAL SIPS
Add the tea bag and allow to steep for five minutes. Discard the tea bag. Sprinkle the nutmeg on top. Recipe courtesy of Cassie Winslow, Floral Libations: 41 Drinks + Ingredients. April 2020
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puhhha /Shutterstock.com
fit body
MOVING THROUGH CHRONIC PAIN How Exercise Can Heal What Hurts
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by Julie Peterson
hen our body keeps hurting, especially if it’s been that way for a long time, it’s natural to want to snuggle into pillows with a good movie and move as little as possible. And for many years, that’s the kind of rest that doctors recommended for the 20 percent of American adults suffering from chronic pain. But with a plethora of studies showing that exercise can reduce pain severity, enable better physical functioning and boost morale with virtually no adverse side effects, that advice is fast changing. “Exercise helps to release endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkiller chemicals,” explains Rumki Banerjee, M.D., medical director of Apex MD, in Glen Allen, Virginia. For those suffering from conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and low back pain, the thought of moving may be uncomfortable, and even the sight of stairs may trigger pain signals. But walking up just one step can give the brain new information. “If it’s possible to do a movement one time without pain, the brain starts to change, the door to movement reopens and we begin to end the chronic pain cycle,” says Annie Forest, a fitness trainer who specializes in the neurology of pain at Forest 18
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Coaching Studios, in Madison, Wisconsin. A good first step is to consult an expert. “If your doctor approves, take advantage of the knowledge and expertise of a movement expert. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, Pilates trainers and yoga teachers are trained to help others move safely and more effectively,” says Peter Abaci, M.D., medical director of the Bay Area Pain and Wellness Center, in Los Gatos, California, and author of Conquer Your Chronic Pain: A Life-Changing Drug-Free Approach for Relief, Recovery, and Restoration. The muscle pain that occurs in everyone starting a new exercise regime— known as delayed onset muscle soreness— typically lasts only a day or two, and is a sign the body is slowly gathering strength, say physical therapists. It’s best—and probably the only thing possible for those in chronic pain—to start slow. “Walking is one exercise that gets your body moving, blood and fluids circulating, and if done outdoors, can take you out into nature to offset the amount of time spent indoors,” says physical therapist Karena Wu, owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy, in New York City and Mumbai.
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Slow stretching, especially if it involves holding positions up to one minute, and gentle versions of yoga, including chair yoga, have also proven helpful. A study of 228 people with chronic back pain published in the Internal Archives of Medicine found that both approaches reduced symptoms within 12 weeks and lowered the use of pain medications, and that results lasted at least six months. Tai chi, an ancient Chinese practice that involves breath control combined with slow, fluid movements, has been shown to benefit people with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and tension headaches, among other chronic conditions. In a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, people with fibromyalgia taking tai chi classes twice a week for 12 weeks reported less pain and depression and better sleep than another group taking wellness classes and stretching sessions. Chi kung (qigong), another slow-moving, mind-body exercise, supplies similar benefits, concluded a February study published in the journal Holistic Nursing Practice. Compared to aerobics, especially for older people with lower back pain, “Pilates may be more effective for pain and disability because exercises are more targeted to the muscles of the pelvis and trunk,” concludes a recent Brazilian study. Aqua therapy, also known as water aerobics, reduces pressure on aching joints while still providing enough gentle resistance to build strength, plus a heated pool can relax the whole body. Swimming was shown in a 2013 study in Clinical Rehabilitation to ease the lingering pain of cancer survivors better than land exercises; studies of arthritis and fibromyalgia patients showed similar results. It’s also key to have goals—even as simple as cooking a meal without pain. “I ask people to envision a pain-free life and imagine what that would look like, what they would do if they didn’t hurt,” says Forest. “If you say, ‘I’m a softball player and a mom who picks up her kids,’ then your brain wants to head in that direction. Having a target is really important.” Julie Peterson writes from rural Wisconsin. Reach her at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.
wise words
Brigit Strawbridge Howard on Rediscovering Nature
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by April Thompson
ee advocate, Bees have been a wildlife gardener portal to the natural and naturalworld for me. It happens ist Brigit Strawbridge when many people get Howard was alarmed interested in a specific the moment she realspecies because everyized she knew more thing is interconnected, about the French Revoand you start to notice lution than the native the whole web of life. trees around her. Howard’s realization that she What makes had lost touch with the bees distinct natural world led her from other kinds on a journey deep into of insects? the fascinating world of Bees go out specifically honeybees, bumblebees, to collect pollen and and the often unsung nectar to feed their superpollinator solitary larvae; other insects bees, chronicled in her It’s never too late to eat pollen and are book Dancing with reconnect and find important pollinators, Bees: A Journey Back to but don’t collect it for the curiosity and awe Nature. Howard writes, their young. They also speaks and campaigns that you experienced tend to visit the same to raise awareness of the as a child. flower species again importance of native and again, which other pollinators don’t wild bees and other pollinating insects. She always do. lives in North Dorset, England, with her husband, Rob, where they love to bee-watch How has your study of bees in their backyard garden.
What first piqued your interest in bees?
Initially, apocalyptic headlines about bee decline and colony collapse with female worker bees leaving hives and not coming back alarmed me from a human food chain perspective. It happened to be around the time I realized I had completely lost touch with the natural world I so loved as a child. I started looking for bees and became completely immersed in their world; the more I watched them, the more I lost track of time and the more questions I had. I also began to more worry about the bees themselves than about their decline’s effect on us.
affected you personally?
I dropped out of school as a teenager. Bees are the only thing I’ve truly ever studied; I am self-taught in insect biology and ecology. I have read scientific papers that I would have never thought were for the likes of me in my quest to understand more about bees. Also, when I feel overwhelmed with life, because of my interest in bees I have something else to focus on. I can lose hours and hours walking in the woods and totally forget my problems. I have learned to tune into the tiny things, the fungi and miniscule plants I would have otherwise walked past.
What is one of the most interesting aspects of bee behavior?
Some years ago, I remember vividly a day on my patio listening to bees with my eyes closed and seeing if I could recognize them by their buzzes. Bumblebees have a deep booming buzz, for example, and I recognized this, but suddenly it changed to a high-pitched sound like a dental drill. I opened my eyes, and it was a bumblebee going round and round the sides of a Welsh poppy, sounding really frantic and having a pollen bath. As it turns out, she was sonicating, otherwise known as buzz foraging. This is how bees pollinate tomatoes. A lot of flowers don’t give up pollen easily, but the bumblebee knows exactly what to do. It grasps the flower and continues to vibrate without moving its wings. This produces high-frequency vibrations that trigger the tomato flower to open and explodes pollen out onto the bee.
What are a few ways that we can help support bee populations?
Maintain gardens, backyards and balconies with a variety of nectar-rich plants and create habitat for bees to nest in. Plant flowers that will bloom in succession. Stop using pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals, because the bees are taking that cocktail of chemicals back to the hive or nest, and collectively they are more dangerous than the sum of their parts. Also, dare to be less tidy in your garden; grow wildflowers and let flowering weeds like clover and dandelions be. Watch and see what comes. It won’t just be the bees: If we get it right for the bees, it spirals out to other species. It’s never too late to reconnect and find the curiosity and awe that you experienced as a child. It was bees that captured my attention and imagination; for someone else it may be something else, but if you make time to stop, sit and look around you, you will find the wonder in nature. April Thompson is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C. Connect at AprilWrites.com. April 2020
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healthy kids
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HEALTHY HOME, HEALTHY KIDS How to Keep Them Safe
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healthy home for kids looks much like what’s needed for a healthy planet: clean air, clean water and clean food, all of which create a space in which our children can be well and thrive. This means taking active steps to eliminate everyday contaminants that can harm their developing organs and brains. “Children are not mini-adults. Their bodies cannot filter out toxins and chemicals as effectively as a full-grown adult body can,” says Kimberly Button, author of The Everything Guide to a Healthy Home: All You Need to Know to Protect You and Your Family from Hidden Dangers. Here are some practical steps to take.
Clean Air
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by Ronica O’Hara
■ Clean “green”. The chemicals in popular disinfectants alter children’s gut microbes and heavy use leads to higher body mass index by age 3, reports Canadian researchers; ecofriendly cleaning agents do not harm kids’ health, they found. A solution of one part white vinegar to three parts
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water can be used to clean counters, floors and toilets. The acetic acid in vinegar can deactivate even the flu and tuberculosis viruses, recent studies have shown. ■ Get rid of mold. Mold, especially if it’s black, is highly toxic to children: a Polish study found it lowered IQs in children under 6. “When the mycotoxins in mold affect children’s developing nervous systems we may see fatigue, difficulty learning, and attention issues,” says naturopath Jill Crista of Janesville, Wisconsin, author of Break The Mold: 5 Tools to Conquer Mold and Take Back Your Health. She recommends mixing in a glass (not plastic) spray bottle essential oils, such as rosemary, holy basil, tea tree or eucalyptus, spraying the mold, and using a disposable cloth to wipe it off. The essential oils “not only kill mold, but neutralize the toxins,” she says. “It won’t fix mold on porous surfaces, which require professional remediation.”
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■ Ban smoking. Children that breathe secondhand smoke are more prone to ear infections, coughs and colds, tooth decay and respiratory problems like asthma and pneumonia, and they miss more days of school, reports the American Academy of Pediatrics. Even smoke residue that clings to clothes, furniture, bedding and other surfaces can harm a child when this third-hand smoke is inhaled, absorbed or ingested.
toxic burden and reduce their risk of developing gut issues, autoimmune diseases, and food sensitivities and allergies,” says Caitlin Self, a licensed dietitian and functional nutritionist in Baltimore who blogs at FrugalNutrition.com. Using the list of the Dirty Dozen pesticide-laden produce compiled by the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org/foodnews) as well as its recommended Clean 15 makes shopping organic easier.
Clean Water
■ Clean produce of pesticides. Simply rinsing produce under cold water for 30 seconds reduces pesticide residues for nine of 12 pesticides, a study by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station found. Saltwater or vinegar rinses also remove pesticides effectively, and in a recent Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry study, soaking apples in one ounce of baking soda to 100 ounces of water for 15 minutes removed 80 and 96 percent of two pesticides, respectively, even under the skin of the fruit.
■ Get a water test. Because children drink more water per pound than adults, even low levels of contaminants can impact their IQ and behavior. Check with the local health department to see if it offers free test kits, buy one at a hardware store or find a local lab by calling the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791. ■ Purify it. Several types of water purification systems, including tapmounted, under-sink and pitchers, are effective and affordable, ranging from $20 to $300. Seek filters certified by the National Sanitation Foundation testing agency that address contaminants identified by the water test.
Clean Food
■ Buy organic when possible. “Swapping to mostly organic foods is a good way to reduce your child’s daily
parents will need to rely on some more packaged snacks to get through,” says Self, who recommends trail mix, fresh fruit or crispy chickpeas. Ronica A. O’Hara is a Denver-based health writer. Connect at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.
■ Stock up on healthy snacks. Afterschool munchies are not only natural, but healthy. “Kids’ little tummies tend to need more frequent feedings than fully formed adults to ensure they have stable blood sugar,” says Self. Rather than highly processed crackers, pudding and most granola bars, offer combos like grapes with cheese, celery with peanut butter or hummus on whole-wheat bread. “Some
April 2020
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MAY
WOMEN’S WELLNESS ISSUE
healing ways
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Coming Next Month
The Collagen Connection Plus: Autoimmune Breakthroughs
A Home That Heals Creating a Nurturing Space
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by Marlaina Donato
ome, whether a humble studio apartment or a dream house, is a critical facet of well-being, a spiritual headquarters from which good health springs. Everyone in the family, including two- and four-legged children, can benefit from an environment that feels like a sacred space. Creating nourishing corners, along with more open areas that feed the senses and a system of functional ease, can be a deep and rewarding act of self-care. “Our home is by far one of the most significant investments we’ll ever make. Our spaces are not meant to be stagnant, but to evolve through each stage of our lives,” says feng shui expert Bridget Saraka, of Saskatoon, Canada. Ali English, owner of Eldrum Interiors, in Lincolnshire, England, concurs, “We all need a safe holt to return to, that space where we can be utterly ourselves, utterly at peace.”
Sanctuary and Mental Health
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Washington, D.C.
Investing in harmony does not require a high price tag. “It’s important to have a mental vision of what this means, and for me, there are three major components: peace, order and beauty,” says Texas-based designer Rachel Anne Ridge, who blogs at HomeSanctuary.com.
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Like water and wind, harmony within the home should also flow. “Listening to the energies in your home and taking the time to move furniture around until you have a placement that makes your head feel calm is really important,” says English. Feng shui—the ancient Chinese system of creating harmony in personal and professional spaces—prioritizes color psychology. “More times than I can count, I’ve had clients report loss of motivation after painting their homes taupe. They’ve also reported weight gain and digestive disorders,” says Saraka. “It’s best to use colors that reflect light, especially for homes in locations where winter is long and days are short.” Disruptive clutter is another key player in eliciting discontent, especially for children that are sensitive to environmental stimulus. “A space that is cluttered can cause emotional distress, resulting in less-than-desirable behaviors,” says Saraka. “Something as simple as the lines of the furniture can feel sharp, creating anxiety. It all matters.”
Cultivating Comfort
Soul-inspiring visuals, satisfying textures and natural, delightful scents are all desirable domestic companions. A small, ambient lamp
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Our spaces are not meant to be stagnant, but to evolve through each stage of our lives. ~Bridget Saraka in a bathroom or a spring-colored sheer in a window can invite the benediction of light. “Step outside the room and then come back in as a guest,” suggests Ridge. “What do you notice with your newcomer’s eyes? What does the room feel like? What smells are you aware of? Do you need to move a cat litter box to another area of the house? Would an area rug soften the hard sounds of foot traffic? Pause on each of your senses and make notes.”
Bringing the Outdoors In
Incorporating organic elements can boost the vitality of any living space. “House plants are a wonderful way to bring the green world into our homes. Go for organic ones if possible, and if you’re worried you may forget to water them, consider plants like scented leaf pelargoniums; for example, Royal Oak. They thrive on neglect and can also provide some wonderful room fragrances,” says English. She also suggests including natural or quality faux branches and blooms in the home as ways of decorating—berries to provide splashes of rich orange, pine cones dabbed with metallic paint, or even long stems of ivy leaves twisted into garlands. Having live plants in the home also benefits physical health. “Adding a few real plants to a space can help reduce environmental toxins found in paints and manmade products, as well as electromagnetic frequencies—by-products of electronics.” Ridge concurs, “Cacti can be a charming alternative for those of us who don’t have a green thumb, but still want to enjoy a living plant indoors.” In the end, a place of sanctuary comes from a place of love. English sums it up best: “If you pour that sense of love into your home, you will, over time, find that mirrored back at you, and you’ll feel it whenever you go through your front door.”
Tips from our experts Feng shui tips from Bridget Saraka:
Create daily rituals with small, manageable goals that’ll help sustain balance and harmony. Give everyone in the household daily, weekly and monthly chores to help maintain a clean, healthy, safe, beautiful and calm home. Make sure that each space has optimum lighting, that all light bulbs work and window treatments are opened daily to fill each room with natural light. Position the beds in the home to have a view of the door entering the room. This is called the “command position”, which instills a sense of control over the immediate environment.
Practical suggestions from Rachel Anne Ridge:
Start with the floor. Simply pick up and straighten the items there—shoes, books, papers, coats and that stack of items earmarked for donating that you set in the corner weeks ago. A clear walk space gives you immediate energy and a sense of order. Use a timer. Setting it for five minutes (or giving yourself just enough time
to let a teabag steep in a cup) is perfect motivation to unload a dishwasher, clear the junk mail from the counter or wipe down a sink. Reduce indoor noise pollution. Installing felt bumpers on cabinet doors and drawers is a tiny activity that yields big results. Cover the feet of kitchen chairs with pads and use fabric placemats on tables. Throw rugs can also soften sounds. Upgrading speakers for TVs and devices can improve sound quality and facilitate lower volumes.
Inspiration from Ali English:
One of my most favorite guidelines is William Morris’ adage, “Keep nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Never feel that you are “stuck” with where you’ve placed furniture and items. I move things around my home on a regular basis, only really settling when furniture has found the place where it merges most perfectly with the overall energy of a room. Begin by creating a “mood board” where you collect ideas that inspire you.
Marlaina Donato is the author of several books and a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com. April 2020
23
ACUPUNCTURE FOR ANIMALS
Needles Work Wonders on Pets
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by Julie Peterson
eedles make most pet parents cringe, but those used for acupuncture don’t hurt animals, they help. They are what traditional Chinese veterinary medicine has used for thousands of years to enhance blood circulation, balance the nervous system and promote release of painrelieving hormones in animals ranging from rabbits to horses. “It’s a holistic approach that pinpoints the issues, unlike medicines that must go through the entire body,” says C.J. Schnier, coach for the University of Wisconsin women’s polo team. The five thoroughbreds and a quarter horse on her Verona, Wisconsin, farm have a standing appointment every three weeks with a veterinarian that performs acupuncture for their injuries, arthritis, colic and immune systems. Since the founding of the Boulder, Colorado-based International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 1974, the number of certified animal acupuncturists has grown from 80 to about 1,800, making the specialty more accessible worldwide.
Treating the Ark
Beyond the usual four-legged friends, acupuncture helps animals such as reptiles, 24
Washington, D.C.
rabbits and livestock as a complement to Western medicine or other body work to alleviate pain and speed recovery. “All animals can have acupuncture,” says veterinarian Carol Jean Tillman, of the Animal Kingdom Veterinary Hospital, in Las Vegas. She uses acupuncture for dogs and cats with musculoskeletal conditions such as lameness due to injuries, arthritis and paralysis, and also finds it helpful for allergies, immune system problems and digestive issues. A 2016 review of veterinary acupuncture clinical trials published in the American Journal of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine concluded that it was safe and effective in treating a wide range of medical conditions like canine hip dysplasia, pain from osteoarthritis and surgery, intervertebral disc disease, seizure disorders, vomiting, inflammatory bowel disease, cardiac and respiratory problems, and depression and anxiety.
The Many Methods
Dry needle acupuncture is what most people recognize—the use of thin, solid, metallic needles inserted into specific meridian acupoints on a body. There is also aquapuncture, that involves injection of a liquid, such as diluted vitamin B12, into
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an acupoint to relieve muscle pain and discomfort. Moxibustion is a technique used for joint stiffness or allergies in which a heated Chinese herbal compound is applied to or held over acupoints. Electrostimulation, sending an electrical current through pairs of inserted needles, takes less time and creates longer-lasting effects. “Electrostimulation is very effective for treating neurological conditions such as radial nerve paralysis, facial nerve paralysis, disc disease and any condition that requires strong stimulation,” says veterinarian Bernadette Aleksey, at the Adorable Pets Veterinary Center, in Haddam, Connecticut. She regularly treats dogs, cats and horses for arthritis, neck and back pain, as well as neurological and gastrointestinal problems. Results similar to acupuncture can be obtained without using needles. Acupressure using hands, cupping therapy using special cups or cool laser stimulation using low levels of light can stimulate hard-to-reach acupoints or work for animals that are too restless for needles. “Depending on the severity of the condition, acupuncture treatment could be recommended daily for several days, then spaced out to every week, then as-needed or once a month,” says Tillman. Precise placement of tiny needles into an ailing dog or a massive horse seems fraught with risk, but the animals only need to be gently restrained and plied with treats during the first treatment. They generally relax quietly for subsequent treatments. Even Sienna, Schnier’s typically reactive thoroughbred mare, stands still for acupuncture around a swollen eye. “She knows it’s being done to help her,” Schnier says. And her 17-year-old cat held still for tiny needles placed in the sinus areas that helped it breathe better. In a clinical setting, pets may be more apprehensive, but there are workarounds such as lasers or aquapuncture. “We provide a relaxing environment. The lighting is dimmed, we play relaxing music and treats are encouraged,” says Aleksey. Pet parents can search for a certified veterinary acupuncturist at ivas.org/vets. Julie Peterson writes about pets, health and environmental issues. Connect at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.
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Monika Wisniewska/Shutterstock.com
natural pet
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inspiration
MAKING LUCK
An Intentional Path to Good Fortune
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by Carol Kline
y its very definition, luck is random, capricious and based on chance rather than our own actions. Yet there is reason to believe that might not be the whole story—that living a charmed life and being lucky both in love and a chosen field is within our control. Recent research in the field of positive psychology and the experiences of consistently lucky people show that we can, and in fact already do make our own luck. Although there will always be an element of chance to luck—both good and bad—we have more influence over the events in our lives than we realize. This means a great deal of our luck can be changed, and quickly, with a little conscious attention. The first step is changing our ideas about how luck works. Stanford University professor and luck expert Tina Seelig, Ph.D., explains that the key is “understanding that luck is rarely a lightning strike— isolated and dramatic—but a wind that blows constantly… You need to build a sail made up of certain tiny behaviors to catch the winds of luck.” Here are a few ideas and ways for us to get started in raising our sails and harnessing the winds of luck.
Believe it’s possible and commit to being lucky. This is called mindset.
It may seem simplistic, but studies clearly show that people that believe they are lucky are more open to and aware of the opportunities that come their way and act upon them, which leads to a larger number of positive outcomes.
Become aware of our own negative conditioning about luck. Most of
us have decided on an unconscious level how lucky we deserve to be. To turn our luck around often requires “lifting curses”; rooting out those limiting beliefs we’ve acquired along the way that become selffulfilling prophecies.
Take bold action consistently.
Think of action as a cosmic lottery ticket. The more actions we take, the more chances we have to win. To turbocharge this step, we must get out of our comfort zone; meet new people, change our daily routine and do things that stretch us. Fortune favors the bold.
Learn to listen to inner mental, emotional and physical promptings.
Being true to our deepest values, priorities and intuitions, and staying centered in our bodies while we move through space, are the keys to being in the right place at the right time, a common definition of luck. When we focus on the elements of luck that are within our control, chance becomes less important. Begin today and watch good fortune blossom. Carol Kline is a New York Times bestselling author and the co-author of Happy for No Reason, Love for No Reason, five books in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and the upcoming Conscious Luck: Eight Secrets to Intentionally Change Your Fortune, with Gay Hendricks. April 2020
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calendar of events NOTE: All Calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email CalendarNADC@gmail.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please. of our beloved colleague Fatima Djalo Johnson. Proceeds will benefit Smith Center programs and the Joan Hisaoka Gallery. $31. Busboys & Poets, 2021 14th St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.
special event Autism Awareness Month, How Homeopathy Can Help
THURSDAY, APRIL 2 Movement and Exercise After a Cancer Diagnosis – 6:30-8pm. With Michelle Stravitz and Ilana Gamerman of 2Unstoppable. Join the founders of 2Unstoppable as they present research and share practical guidance, tips and resources to help you keep moving and stay strong. $15 (suggested donation). Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.
With Dr. Liss. Join homeopath Michael Liss of Rose Wellness Center for an informative webinar to learn about how he can help you or your children with autism using homeopathy, natural and gentle healing.
Wednesday, April 8 • 7pm
Webinar, Rose Wellness, 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA. Info: 571-529-6699 or RoseWellness.com
FRIDAY, APRIL 3 Aceptar Opening Reception – 6:30-8pm. With Irene Clouthier, Curator and the artists of Aceptar. Una exposición colectia con obras de arte de Fabiola Alvarex, Erick Benitez, Geraldo Camargo, Irene Clouthier, Hoesy Corona, Muriel Hasbun, Carolina Mayorga y Wilfredo Valladares. Free. Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202483-8600 or JoanHisaokaGallery.org.
MONDAY, APRIL 6 Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Please join us for a playful and fun practice that has been proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The session ends with a silent meditation. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8 Survivor Voices – 10:30am-12:30pm. With Smith Center. The 2nd annual Survivor Voices fundraising event to uplift Smith Center’s community of survivors, artists and performers. This event is in memory
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 Outside the Lines: Altered Book Healing Art Workshop – 10:30am-1:30pm. With Kiersten Gallagher and Denise Feldman. Repurpose old, gently loved hardback books using a variety of art supplies to create a place that holds our personal health and trauma journeys. $15 (suggested donation). Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.
SATURDAY, APRIL 18 Earth Day Cleanup – 10am-12pm. This Earth Day, come out to the park and get connected with the community and EcoAction Arlington to help keep litter, especially harmful plastics, out of our natural places and streams. Free. EcoAction Arlington, Bon Air Park Shelter, 850 N Lexington St, Arlington, VA. Info: EcoActionArlington.org/Get-Involved/Events/Earth-DayCleanup-Registration. Essential Oil Class – 2pm. This class will cover the basics of oils and how to use them for improved health. Neck Back & Beyond Healing Arts, 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA. Info: 703-865-5690.
SUNDAY, APRIL 19 Back in Touch with Plants: Celebrating Survivorship with the U.S. Botanic Garden – 1-3pm. With Grace Anderson and Smith Center Staff. Getting back in touch with nature can aid our healing process both mentally and physically. Join us as we dig our hands into the soil and explore the healing power of plants. $15 (suggested donation). U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave, SW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 DC Young Adult Cancer Survivor Coping Through Comedy Showcase – 7-9pm. With Charity Sade and YA Comics. Join YACS as they share stories and stand-up comedy sets for your enjoyment. This night of laughter and community will raise
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Washington, D.C.
NaturalAwakeningsDC.com
money for the DC Young Adult Cancer Community. $30. Drafthouse Comedy Theater, 1100 13th St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.
special event Microbiome, What Is This New Buzzword All About and Why Is It So Important?
With Dr. Leon. Join functional medicine physician, Dr. Alex Leon of Rose Wellness Center for an informative webinar to learn about your microbiome and the functional medicine approach to helping you heal. Plus, you will have the opportunity to ask your questions live.
Wednesday, April 22 • 7pm
Webinar, Rose Wellness, 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA. Info: 571-529-6699 or RoseWellness.com
FRIDAY, APRIL 24 EcoAction Arlington Earth Day Breakfast – 7:30-9am. Join EcoAction Arlington to discuss environmental justice in Virginia with our featured speaker, Karen Campblin, Environmental Justice Chair, Virginia State Conference NAACP. EcoAction Arlington, Navy League, 2300 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA. Info: EcoActionArlington.org/ Get-Involved/Events/EcoAction-Arlington-EarthDay-Breakfast.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25 Finding Your Voice, Using Your Voice: A Sanskrit and Kirtan Intensive – 9am-5pm. Part 1: 9am-12pm, optional vegan lunch: 12-2pm and part 2: 2-5pm. Find your voice and vibration through Sanskrit to connect to the Divine. Use your voice to chant/lead kirtan or in your yoga classes. $50/ half day, $70/half day and lunch or $108/full day. Gita’s Dream Kirtan, Ahimsa House, 11th St, NE. Register: Gita Kali Natarajan (Formerly Gita Zember) at YogaCalm@gmail.com. Culinary Translation for Esophageal Cancer Cooking Class – 10am-2pm. With Chef Laura Pole. Join Chef Laura to learn cooking and eating tips specific if you suffer from esophageal cancer. Free. Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.
SUNDAY, APRIL 26 Walk-n-Talk at the National Mall – 9-11am. In partnership with 2Unstoppable. Join 2Unstoppable as we walk and explore various locations around Washington, DC. Free. All walking abilities are welcome. See website for location details and meeting information. Smithsonian Metro Station, DC. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org. Mindfulness and the Art of Image Making – 2-5pm. With Julie McCarter. In a series of photographic assignments, you will learn and practice mindfulness through the art of image making. $20 (suggested donation). Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 What Really Happens in the Afterlife – 6:308pm. With Dr. Debra Diamond. This presentation reveals the story of a life as a hospice Death Doula, discussing 25 critical life lessons from those at the threshold of the afterlife, that ultimately reveal a new way of understanding death. Free. Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.
THURSDAY, APRIL 30 Movie Night – 7pm. Food, Clothing & Shelter: The Ripple Effect. This film features the art of agriculture and other life civilizing skills brought forth by our ancestors as gifts to us. Neck Back & Beyond Healing Arts, 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA. Info: 703-865-5690.
plan ahead MONDAY, MAY 11 Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Please join us for a playful and fun practice that has been proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The session ends with a silent meditation. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.
SUNDAY, MAY 31 Thermography for Breast Health Clinic – 10am-4pm.Through Monday June 1st. This is a breast exam that uses an infrared camera to pick up heat emanating from the breast. It is noninvasive (no radiation from X-rays) and does not compress the breast tissue as a mammogram will. Neck Back & Beyond Healing Arts, 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA. Info: BreastThermography.com.
MONDAY, JUNE 1 Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Please join us for a playful and fun practice that has been proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The session ends with a silent meditation. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.
MONDAY, JULY 6 Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Please join us for a playful and fun practice that has been proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The session ends with a silent meditation. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.
SUNDAY, JULY 12
special event Illuminate Frederick Maryland Local Arts and Wellness Festival
Featuring the finest local holistic wellness practitioners, products and amazing artisans. Attendees can try sample sessions, find crystals, jewelry, essential oils, spa products, gifts and art. Free workshops. $5 online or $6 at the door and free for active/veteran military, emergency responders and children 16 and under. Illuminate Festivals Clarion Inn Frederick Event Center 5400 Holiday Dr, Frederick, MD Info: 575-519-5883 or Connect@IlluminateFestivals.com or IlluminateFestivals.com/Columbia Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Please join us for a playful and fun practice that has been proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The session ends with a silent meditation. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Please join us for a playful and fun practice that has been proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The session ends with a silent meditation. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 5 Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Please join us for a playful and fun practice that has been proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The session ends with a silent meditation. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9 Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Please join us for a playful and fun practice that has been proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The session ends with a silent meditation. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Please join us for a playful and fun practice that has been proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The session ends with a silent meditation. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.
F t c e w f a
ongoing calendar
sunday Sunday Morning Meditation Class – 10:30am12:30pm. With Hugh Byrne. An oasis in a busy week, including 30-minute guided meditations, a 10-minute walking meditation and 30-minute discussion. A mini-retreat. Drop-ins welcome. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org. Mindfulness in Recovery – 6:30-8pm. This group is open to new meditators and seasoned practitioners alike with a common interest in the intersection of Buddhist teachings and 12 Step recovery. All 12 Steppers welcome. We ask that participants have at least 90 days of continuous recovery and a working relationship with a home 12 Step recovery group be established before attending first meeting. This group is not a replacement for our individual 12 Step programs. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.
monday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. A beautiful way to start your day, with a 30-minute meditation and optional 15-minute discussion following. Drop-ins welcome. A project of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW). The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.
tuesday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Mon for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.
wednesday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Mon for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.
thursday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Mon for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.
friday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Mon for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.
April 2020
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community resource guide
DENTAL – HOLISTIC
Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Stephen@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com to request our media kit.
ACUPUNCTURE HOMA HASHIME, ND, M.AC., L.AC., DIPL. AC Rose Wellness Center 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 • Info@RoseWellness.com RoseWellness.com
Homa Hashime is a licensed acupuncturist and naturopathic doctor. She obtained a master’s degree in acupuncture from Tai Sophia Institute and her doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University. She is also an Advanced Detoxification Specialist in auricular acupuncture for addiction and strion. She has experience treating various acute and chronic conditions including stress, depression, anxiety, infertility, eating disorders, PTSK, menstrual problems, migraine headaches, and painful joints and muscular conditions using acupuncture, herbs, nutritional supplements, craniosacral therapy and cupping treatment. See ad, page 11.
BEDROOM FURNITURE SAVVY REST NATURAL BEDROOM
258 Maple Ave East, Vienna, VA and 12242 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 703-255-7040 (VA) or 301-770-7040 (MD) Maddie@SavvyRest.com • SRNB.com Savvy Rest Natural Bedroom is the premier retailer of Savvy Rest organic mattresses and bedding, a Virginia manufacturer and retailer of fine bedroom furniture. See ad, page 3.
CHIROPRACTOR DR. ALLAN TOMSON, DC
Neck Back & Beyond Wellness Center 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA 703-865-5690 • NeckBackAndBeyond.com NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com Dr. Allan Tomson, DC, director of Neck Back & Beyond Healing Arts in Fairfax, VA, with a satellite office in Manassas, VA. He is not your ordinary chiropractor with skills and experience in functional medicine, visceral manipulation, craniosacral therapy and Cayce protocols. See ad, page 8.
CLEANING MAID BRIGADE CAPITAL REGION
4813-A Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA 800-515-6243 • MaidBrigade.com Marketing@Maid-Brigade.com We are Green Clean Certified, so you can have peace of mind that you r home w i l l b e healthier for you, your pets and the environment. See ad, page 7.
CONSULTING JESSICA CLAIRE HANEY CONSULTING 571-358-8645 • JessicaClaireHaney.com Jessica@MindfulHealthyLife.com
Writing, editing, marketing/ digital media support and strategy consulting for holistic-minded businesses and organizations from experienced local writer, blogger and event organizer Jessica Claire Haney.
CANCER SUPPORT NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEALTH ASSOCIATES 5225 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 402, NW 202-237-7000 • NIHADC.com
If you are diagnosed with cancer, there are supportive treatments which may enhance the body’s ability to fight cancer and help the traditional cancer treatments work more effectively. Integrative, holistic medicine combines traditional and adjunctive complementary treatments to restore the patient to a better state of health and improve the quality of life. Whereas traditional medicine will focus on treating the tumor, the holistic approach is to focus on the patient and outcome.
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CORPORATE WELLNESS MARIANNE SCIPPA
Neck Back & Beyond Wellness Center 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA 703-865-5690 • NeckBackAndBeyond.com ScippaAssociates.com We design interactive sessions for you and your staff to better understand the physical, mental and emotional costs of many common work management habits. Individual or team coaching for ongoing leadership, management and health development support to create the peak performance habits you need. See ad, page 8.
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DENTAL EXCELLENCE INTEGRATIVE CENTER
Dr. Sheri Salartash, DDS, FAGD, FICOI, FAAP Certified Holistic Mouth Doctor 3116 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA 703-745-5496 • DentalExcellenceVA.com Dr. Salartash offers comprehensive integrative care for the mouth, including general and preventative family dentistry, cosmetic smile design and implants, orthodontics and clear aligners, Chao Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Therapy, mercury-safe removal, TMJ, sleep apnea and snoring treatment. From her green office, using sustainable practices and materials, Dr. Salartash treats both adults and children. See ad, page 3.
ESSENTIAL OILS PAM SNYDER
Neck Back & Beyond Wellness Center 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com 703-865-5690 • NeckBackAndBeyond.com Let us help you integrate the healing power of essential oils into your home and personal care routines. We offer free ongoing classes each month. Individual and group consultations are available by appointment. See ad, page 8.
HEALTH COACHING NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEALTH ASSOCIATES 5225 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 402, NW 202-237-7000 NICADC.com/Health-Programs/ Rejuvenation-Detoxification.html
Rejuvenation & Detoxification program provides guidance to restore balance and health with lifestyle tips on diet, hydration, digestion and internal cleansing and detoxification with integrative at-home and spa strategies.
HOLISTIC NUTRITION ELIZABETH MCMILLAN, MS, CNS Rose Wellness Center 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com
Elizabeth McMillan is a boardcertified clinical nutritionist specializing in functional nutrition. She believes in finding the root cause of a liments and cre at ing a personalized dietary plan to restore optimal wellness. Elizabeth specializes in diabetes, food sensitivities, gastrointestinal health, autoimmunity and metabolic syndrome issues. Call today to see how she can help. See ad, page 11.
HOMEOPATHY MICHAEL LISS
Rose Wellness Center 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Michael Liss is a Doctor of Classical Homeopathy and an integrative health practitioner. He specializes in using homeopathy to help you find relief from various emotional and physical health problems including addictions, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, allergies, asthma, childhood ailments, migraines, hair and skin disorders, immune deficiencies and sinus disorders. See ad, page 11.
HYPNOSIS FREE YOURSELF HYPNOSIS Michelle DeStefano 301-744-0200 • FreeYourselfHypnosis.com FreeYourselfHypnosis@gmail.com Life strategies and techniques to rewrite the software of your mind and change the printout of your life—become stress-free, stop smoking, manage pain or lose weight. We work with PSTD, birthing, peak performance, PSYCH-K, Graphology, meditation and qigong. See ad, page 7.
HYPNOTHERAPIST DIANNE RHODES HYPNOTHERAPY AND DREAM INTERPRETER Neck Back & Beyond Wellness Center 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com 703-865-5690 • NeckBackAndBeyond.com
Dianne Rhodes is a NGH-Certified Hypnotherapy Practitioner and a Certified Projective Dreamworker. For five years, she has been using a client-centered approach to help people make positive behavior changes utilizing the powerful tool of hypnotherapy. She guides people to overcome issues such as: overweight, fears/anxiety, stress, chronic pain, difficulty sleeping, sadness/depression and lack of confidence, fear of public speaking, nail biting, poor academic/sports performance and clutter/hoarding. See ad, page 8.
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE SUSHMA HIRANI, MD
Rose Wellness Center• 571-529-6699 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA Info@RoseWellness.com RoseWellness.com Dr. Sushma Hirani uses an integrative approach to wellness, utilizing conventional medicine and evidencebased complementary therapies. She strives to treat the whole person and emphasizes nutrition, preventive care and lifestyle changes. She specializes in the treatment of chronic issues such as hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, menopause and women’s health issues. Patients love her compassionate care and personalized attention. See ad, page 11.
INDIGO INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CLINIC The Waterfront Center 1010 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 660, NW 202-298-9131 • IndigoHealthClinic.com Facebook.com/IndigoHealthClinic Twitter.com/IzzyIndigo
Are you living with a health problem which you aren’t sure how to handle? Give yourself the opportunity to describe your symptoms in detail, how those symptoms make you feel and how having them affects your life. With proper diagnosis and treatment you can be restored to vibrant health.
ALEX LEON, MD
Integrative Family Physician Rose Wellness Center 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Dr. Alex Leon is a board-certified family physician specializing in integrative functional medicine to help restore and maintain your wellbeing. He has a special interest in men’s health care, chronic pain syndromes including musculoskeletal problems, fibromyalgia, bioidentical hormone replacement for men and women, chronic conditions including hypothyroidism, gastrointestinal disorders and allergic disorders. He treats kids too. See ad, page 11.
NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEALTH ASSOCIATES 5225 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 402, NW 202-237-7000 • NIHADC.com
The professional health team at NIHA is comprised of holistic medical physicians, biological dentists, naturopaths, a chiropractor and health professionals highly skilled in acupuncture, nutrition and other healing therapies.
ROSE WELLNESS CENTER
2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Info@RoseWellness.com
Suffering from chronic pain, fatigue, allergies, stress? Whatever your health challenges, Rose Wellness Center can help you get on the path to real wellness. We help identify hormone, metabolic, digestive, nutritional and food sensitivity issues to get to the root cause of your health problems, where true healing begins. Our services include digestive and women’s health programs, hormone balancing, acupuncture, Lyme treatment, homeopathy and thyroid management. See ad, page 11.
NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE HOLISTIC HEALING NATUROPATHIC 1331 H St. NW, Ste 200, D.C. 717-728-4546 • DrSalotto.com
D r. T i m S a l o t t o o f f e r s naturopathic treatment for all your medical conditions, treating the cause and not just the symptoms. See ad, page 7.
ORGANIC PRODUCE - CSA SPIRAL PATH FARM
717-789-4433 • Csa@SpiralPathFarm.com SpiralPathFarm.com 100% USDA-certified organic all grown at our farm in southcentral Pennsylvania. Join for our weekly produce deliveries t h rou g h a C om mu n it y Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership. See ad, page 8.
POLARITY THERAPY NECK BACK & BEYOND WELLNESS CENTER
Janice M Johnson 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com NeckBackAndBeyond.com • 703-865-5690 Allow me to join you in creating your own individualized treatment program, which provides a safe and supportive experience for your healing process, with Polarity Therapy and Swiss Bionic Solutions MRS 2000 (Magnetic Resonance Stimulation) pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF). See ad, page 8.
STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION ROSE WELLNESS CENTER
2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Rose Wellness Center for Integrative Medicine offers Thermography or Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI). This non-invasive diagnostic technique creates thermal images that are analyzed for abnormalities and early signs of disease. Thermal imaging is painless, non-invasive, does not involve any compression and emits no radiation. Call today to setup your scan. See ad, page 11.
If you go anywhere, even paradise, you will miss your home. ~Malala Yousafza April 2020
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Don’t catch a virus!
Some users say it also helps with sinuses. Attorney Donna Blight had a 2-day sinus headache. When her CopperZap arrived, she tried it. “I am shocked!” she said. “My head cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.” Some users say copper stops nighttime stuffiness if used just before By Priscilla Schnarr bed. One man said, “Best sleep I’ve had in years.” ore and more people are Copper can also stop flu if used early He asked relatives and friends to saying they just don’t get and for several days. Lab technicians try it. They said it worked, too, so he colds anymore. placed 25 million live flu viruses on a patented CopperZap™ and put it on the They are using a new device made CopperZap. No viruses were found alive market. of pure copper, which scientists say soon after. Now tens of thousands of people kills cold and flu Dr. Bill Keevil led one of the teams have tried it. viruses, including confirming the discovery. He placed Nearly 100% of Coronavirus. millions of disease germs on copper. feedback says the Doug Cornell “They started to die literally as soon as copper stops colds invented the they touched the surface,” he said. if used within 3 device in 2012. Dr. Keevil and Dr. Sarah Warnes hours after the “I haven’t had a show Coronavirus is “rapidly and first sign. Even up single cold since permanently deactivated on contact with to 2 days, if they then.” copper.” still get the cold it People Copper kills is milder than New research: Copper stops were skeptical, germs picked up on usual and they colds if used early. but EPA and fingers and hands feel better. university studies show that viruses to protect you and Users wrote things like, “It stopped and bacteria die almost instantly when reduce your risk of my cold right away,” and “Is it touched by copper. getting sick. Copper supposed to work that fast?” That’s why ancient Greeks and even kills deadly “What a wonderful thing,” wrote Egyptians used copper to purify water germs that have Physician’s Assistant Julie. “No more and heal wounds. They didn’t know become resistant to colds for me!” Dr. Bill Keevil: Copper quickly kills antibiotics. about microbes, but now we do. Pat McAllister, 70, received one viruses. Scientists say the high conductance People have for Christmas and called it “one of the of copper disrupts the electrical balance best presents ever. This little jewel really used it on cold sores and say it can in a microbe and destroys it in seconds. completely prevent outbreaks. You can works.” Now thousands of users have Some hospitals now use copper also rub it gently on wounds or lesions simply stopped getting colds. for touch surfaces, like faucets and to combat infections. People often use CopperZap doorknobs. This has cut the spread of The EPA says copper still works preventively. Frequent flier Karen Gauci MRSA and other illnesses by over half, even when tarnished. It kills hundreds of used to get colds after crowded flights. and saved lives. different disease germs so it can prevent Though skeptical, she tried it several Colds start after cold viruses get in serious or even fatal illness. times a day on travel days for 2 months. your nose, so the vast body of research CopperZap is made in America of “Sixteen flights and not a sniffle!” she gave Cornell an idea. When he next pure copper. It has a 90-day full money exclaimed. felt a cold about to start, he fashioned Businesswoman Rosaleen says when back guarantee. It is $69.95. a smooth copper probe and rubbed it Get $10 off each CopperZap with people are sick around her she uses gently in his nose for 60 seconds. CopperZap morning and night. “It saved code NATA19. Go to www.CopperZap.com or call “It worked!” he exclaimed. “The me last holidays,” she said. “The kids toll-free 1-888-411-6114. cold never got going.” It worked again had colds going round and round, but Buy once, use forever. every time. not me.”
Copper kills viruses and bacteria
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